WILDLIFE LAND OPEN TO GRAZING

Livestock producers in the northwest part of Saskatchewan will be given access to selected portions of Wildlife Land to help them cope with dry conditions.

"Opening these lands to livestock producers gives them valuable access to additional pasture and water sources, as they continue to face drier-than-normal conditions," Deputy Premier and Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Minister Clay Serby said.

This is the third consecutive year that Saskatchewan Environment has opened Wildlife Lands to grazing to help the livestock industry deal with dry conditions. As well, twenty-five thousand acres of Wildlife Lands that are already allocated for haying purposes will continue to be available to producers.

To prevent habitat degradation, Wildlife Lands grazed in 2002 will be excluded from the 2003 program, along with certain particularly sensitive lands.

"Having Wildlife Lands available to livestock producers as forage reservoirs is a no-cost benefit to the livestock industry," Environment Minister Buckley Belanger said. "The hunters and anglers who contribute to the Fish and Wildlife Development Fund through their licence purchases are more than happy to show support for rural landowners, who do so much to protect habitat on their own lands."

Producers interested in Wildlife Land for grazing should contact their local Saskatchewan Environment Office.

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For More Information, Contact:

Trish Alcorn Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: (306)787-5389

Conrad Olson Environment Regina Phone: (306)787-2385